Her Planet
by Lady Weasleyy
Summary: "You're like Astronomy, Draco. It's a science and a mystery." .. "Hmph. And what does that make you?" .. "...A moon, I suppose." Hermione and Draco end up at Hogwarts after the war, both working on a project in the Astronomy Tower. It's the first time they've really talked this year; and the year's almost over. It's time to let some things be known!


A/N: Taking a break from studying! My Astronomy final is tomorrow morning and I've been studying for hours – and days, for that matter. Just for a few hours today, though. But anyways, I had this idea, and it didn't quite turn out as I expected. Warning: Super cliché, and just slightly AU. The modes of speech may be a little awkward – I've been watching Downton Abbey and the way they talk just gets engrained into you, I swear! Anyways, here's a one-shot to tide you lot over ;) I hope it's as cute to you as it is to me, in my tired state. Haha!

–

It hadn't been more than an hour that Hermione had been in the Astronomy Tower, working on homework. Usually, yes, it would be the library that she chose as her workplace. But today was the day before the Astronomy Project was due. Needless to say, many of the make-up year Seventh Years were panicking. Instead of tests in their classes, they just had yearlong projects. Most students weren't used to things like that. Thankfully, Hermione was raised in a Muggle household and it wasn't entirely foreign to her. Thus, instead of dealing with people either making noise, or asking for her help, Hermione opted to go to the place where the project really took place – The Observatory (Aka, the Astronomy Tower). However, a short while ago, another student had the same idea.

"Who's there?" a masculine voice questioned as the door closed behind them.

Hermione turned, surprised that her 'admittedly-less-bushy,-but-still-rather-bushy' hair hadn't given her away. Seeing who had come in, she was even more surprised. Then again, before school started, she hadn't seen him in over a year. Not up close anyway. Except for that one, horrible time in his Manor...

"Granger?" He asked, walking over. "I would say I'm surprised to find you here, but I just left the library so I'm sure I understand your sentiments." He sniffed. His sniff wasn't nearly as haughty as it used to be. Little comfort it gave her, though.

"Oh. Yes." She nodded. "It's quite awful."

He just nodded in return and leaned against the railing, his forearms resting along the top to support him. He was over the rail far enough that the moonlight hit his face and his hair seemed to glow. She was almost taken aback. But then she remembered who she was dealing with.

This boy was been the torment of her first six years at Hogwarts – not including all the Voldemort related characters and events. Then, during the war, he sat back and watched her be tortured by his insane aunt, Bellatrix. When the new Seventh Year began, and all of the make-up year Seventh Years ended up in one dormitory – there were perhaps ten of them? - she had to see quite a lot of him.

At first, she avoided him like the plague (no matter how much she despised cliches). But as she had to deal with him in class every day – the classes no longer needed to be separated by houses, as there were so few of them – she came to understand him a bit better. Truly, she knew he had not wanted the life he'd been given. He regretted it, she was sure. He never did get a Dark Mark, for which she was thankful. If she'd ever had to see it, she wasn't sure what she'd have done. It certainly wouldn't have been pleasant. The entire year, though, he hadn't said one word against her – to her face, or by word of mouth apparently. She was surprised, of course, because Harry and Ron weren't around to protect her anymore. They were both training to be Aurors.

"You really shouldn't stare at people, you know."

She jumped, but realized he wasn't even looking at her. She had moments like those – she just could feel him watching her, either from across the Great Hall, or across the Common Room. She, herself, had never made a point to watch him in return, though. Now it just wasn't intentional. She had been lost in thought is all.

"I'm sorry." She murmured, turning to look up at the sky. He didn't reply. After a moment, a thought occurred to her. "You know, you're like Astronomy, Draco."

"Excuse me?" He asked, standing up straighter and whipping his head in her direction to stare at her with raised eyebrows.

"Astronomy. It's both a science and a mystery. You Malfoys are like that." She didn't look at his face. She honestly didn't want to know how much he was laughing at her for being so open with her opinions.

"Hmph."

The tower was silent for a moment; no owls were flying by, neither spoke, and even the wind refrained from whispering to them.

"Why's that?" He asked finally, unable to help it.

She smiled faintly before looking down at her hands, which were clasped one over the other on the railing in front of her. "Well, there's a certain way that the Malfoy family works. Or is expected to work and behave. But each one of you, you're all very different. You and your father, for example, are very different." She paused. Looking at him, she added, "I'm glad of it."

"We aren't so different." He replied, shaking his head.

"But you are!" She replied fervently, turning to face him completely, just leaving a hand on the rail, "Now that he's not here to tell you how to act, you're completely different. You aren't angry all the time – likely because now you're allowed to be yourself."

He didn't say anything in return.

"It's odd." She said suddenly, "I've been in school with you for seven years now – not counting the war – and I don't even know you. And yet it's as though, this year, you've become far more civil and outgoing – I know many Gryffindors who quite like you! But it seems that I'm the only one you haven't really talked to. And vice versa, I'm afraid." She frowned, looking rather guilty.

"It's not your fault, or mine. Things have just been difficult between the two of us. Too difficult to start over."

"That's just the point, though. I wouldn't want to start over. Because knowing how you could have been so cold, but choose not to.. Well, it makes all the difference."

"And knowing how completely awful you used to look and be.. well, it makes all the difference." He smirked, throwing her words back at her.

She frowned and backed away, the hurt showing on her face.

"Gra-... Hermione. I'm sorry. I meant it as a joke." He said, holding a hand up as if he were approaching a wild animal, as he took a step towards her.

"I realize." She whispered, refusing to look at him. "I just wasn't prepared for it."

"We often aren't prepared for the things that hurt us the most." He agreed, sounding very remorseful.

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and saw that he did, in fact, look very troubled. "If it makes anything better, I wouldn't have been angry with you for very long."

He looked at her and smiled. It wasn't the usual Malfoy smile she got from him – it was his own. As different as she had told him he was. Deciding not to ruin the moment, she turned to look out at the sky again.

"If I'm Astronomy, what does that make you?" He asked after a brief pause, coming to stand beside her. He was much closer to her than he was the last time.

"...A moon, I suppose." She replied softly.

"Oh?"

"Yes. Moons are inexplicably drawn towards that which has the most pull. The most gravity. They can't help it, no matter what they want.. or think they want."

He watched her for a moment, then said, "Then, you being a moon.. Who is your planet?"

She turned to face him. "I know who it is. I almost wish I didn't. Or that I were wrong. But I know I'm not, and I actually don't regret it."

"Care to explain?"

"We're not quite right for each other. People would have a fit. But there it is. I'm drawn to him, no matter how hard I've tried not to be. You can't just escape gravity."

"Are not the pressures of social opinions a type of gravity, too?"

"Yes, I suppose." She nodded, regarding him carefully. He almost seemed to be toying with her. Did he not understand what she was getting at? "But there are certain circumstances where you can defy gravity. Social opinions don't have enough gravity to keep me down."

"I'm glad." He smiled, stepping even closer to her. The toes of their shoes were now touching, and Hermione suddenly found it difficult to breathe. She'd never been this close to him before. "So,.. Hermione... Are you sure I'm _Astronomy_?"

"Is that not what I said?"

"I was hoping I could be a planet.."

Hermione grinned as her face flushed, though she watched him for any sign of him pulling one over on her. As he moved in to kiss her, though, she decided he was quite right. The Malfoys themselves might be Astronomy. But Draco was her planet.


End file.
